Some funny business
by fgv
Summary: One night while Hermione was doing her regular night patrols Peeves decided to have some fun on her expense. 8th year, Hermione's Head Girl and Draco knows the password for the Prefect's bath but not what to say.


_**This is the first story I've ever uploaded here so please be kind. Also I'm not a native english speaker so do let me know if I've made any terrible mistakes. The story was originally written for a fest but I've never upoaded it there as I wrote a different one. The promt was „Prefect's Bathroom, accident, blood, bubbles" - so here's my take on it.**_

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She was now certain that Peeves had it out for her this year. First the stupid songs and now the nice little encounters while she was on her patrols. Hermione wondered if she was an exception or Peeves did this to all the previous Head Girls as well. She was considering letting a few things slip in the vicinity of the Bloody Baron – just for good measure.

She was just about to get back to the dormitories when she walked into a corridor on the fifth floor and tripped on something - most likely a beater's bat – only to fall into a puddle of melted candle. The wax was still hot and it burned her fingertips as she had thrown out her hands to soften the fall and her knees were probably scratched from the cold stone floor. She just hoped that it didn't bleed. God, how she disliked that good-for-nothing ghost! Its stupid laughter still rang in her ears, or was he near? She had to take a look around.

Hermione didn't exactly want to touch her wand with her wax-covered fingers so the best solution seemed to be a quick trip to the Prefect's Bath. Cold water sounded real appealing to her hurt digits and the bathroom was just down the corridor on the left anyways.

"Snack" she whispered to Boris the statue as to not wake the portraits on the walls unnecessarily. She wondered who came up with the new passwords as the person clearly tried to follow Dumbledore's lead with the sweets but didn't quite got the essence of it. They were for lack of better words _lame_. Like the common room's last month: sweets. Really unimaginative.

Boris moved to the side and Hermione opened the door using her elbows. To her surprise the bathroom wasn't deserted as she thought and none other than Draco Malfoy was spread out in the pool-sized tube with his head laid back on the side.

His calmness disappeared instantly as she stepped into the torch lit room and he quickly moved to get his wand from beside his head.

"Malfoy? What are you doing here?" she asked bewildered as she took a step closer to him not even a tad bit intimidated by his wand pointed straight at her head. "You're not even a prefect anymore. How the hell do you know the password?"

"Not so hard to find out" he replied with his voice nonchalant and his eyes narrowed. "Now kindly turn around and find someone else to disturb."

"Not a chance!" she lifted her chin and stood even closer to the pool with the lilac and light blue bubbles. She was almost certain that the blue ones smelled like the ocean. It was nice. "It's you who shouldn't be here."

This year she haven't really had many interactions with him. He was quiet and mostly kept to himself. She had seen a few times as he was bullied by other students but that haven't reached a level for her to interrupt. Being Hogwarts' very own Death Eater couldn't be a daydream but she kind of thought he deserved this much. Azkaban would have been too hard of a punishment for him and she thought it was right that Harry had testified on his behalf. He was just a kid much like they were and to go to prison for something he didn't really have control over seemed too cruel.

"I'm here for some peace and quiet" he finally moved his wand from its offensive position and folded his arms.

"And I'm here to get some cold water" she stated and looked him over. Well at least he didn't look as haunted as he'd done in the previous two years. That somehow creeped her out. He was a school bully and an arrogant prick. The approaching war hit her even more when he returned to their sixth year looking like death warmed over. She didn't believe Harry when he came up with his death-eater-theory. Half because it seemed absurd half because she didn't want to lose the comfort she lulled herself into by postponing the admittance of the inevitable.

"Then get to it and get out." He turned his still pointed chin to the door and shoot a meaningful look at her. _Well, right, as if._

"Or... I do my business then dock some house points and wait until you get yourself out of the tube and nicely accompany you to Slughorn's office. I bet he'd be thrilled to attend to you at this hour" she said and a slow smirk appeared on her lips while she watched his face turn into a grimace. She didn't agree with the professor's open dislike in Malfoy's direction but the threat seemed too tempting.

Sometimes it felt dull after the war. She didn't miss any of the terror but the rush was different. If you lived in it for years then it's hard to get back to normal. She often wondered if her generation even knew what normal meant.

"Still pinning after well-known people I see, Granger" he replied turning his scowl into his very own trademark smirk.

"Nah, don't mistake your reputation to Harry's fame or Victor's talent" she said equally unfazed by the indication and then stalked to the taps on the left. Her fingers really needed soothing. When the much needed coldness finally hit her hands she sighed.

"If I were you I'd wash my knees as well. Some funny business, huh, Granger? Wax even."

She took a look at her injured legs and glared at Malfoy afterwards. Her socks were bloody indeed. Yuck. The funny thing will be getting the material out of her wounds. She really hated that feeling.

She scratched the wax off of her hands. It wasn't so bad once it cooled out. She remembered playing with the candle when she was younger and often putting her fingers into it then peeling it off so she could stare at her fingerprint.

After a few moments of blessed silence Malfoy had to open his mouth once again. She already knew he had a tendency to talk when he felt awkward.

"So how did you get them?" he asked faking boredom as he sit back again and laid his head against the edge.

Hermione didn't really pay him attention as she flung her right leg up on the sink and slowly lifted her sock off. "Peeves doesn't like me this year very much" she murmured while pulling out her wand and stitching up the scratches.

"Well, you got off easy" he said quietly and she wasn't necessarily in the mood to get into it deeper.

"Yes but I'd rather just be left alone" Hermione said as she switched legs. "Ew" she sighed as she saw that her left knee was far worse than her right. Putting her wand between her lips she tried to softly peel off her soaked sock. It wasn't as easy as the other one being much bloodier and the fact didn't help that it already started to dry. She had far worse before but getting back to normality meant that you sometimes forgot that you had worse. _At least you tried_ Hermione thought.

"Want some help?" To say that she was surprised would be an understatement. Her head spun as she stared over her shoulder straight at him. He was watching her with a neutral look on his face. It seemed that he was comfortable enough around her after she didn't bother him aloud anymore.

"Why would you want to help?" she asked not unkindly but a bit suspiciously. It was strange. If she was totally honest the whole situation was weird. She wasn't scared nor was she uncomfortable either. She felt the kind of companionship she usually did around people who too fought in the war. It was something you couldn't wash off. It made your eyes duller and your heart heavier and made stupid schoolyard grudges seem unimportant.

He just shrugged his shoulder and stood to walk over the other side of the pool his wand in his hand.

"Come on" he encouraged her as he leant on the edge glancing up at her. He seemed totally unconcerned by the fact that he was offering his help while still being naked in a tube. Hermione was a little more observant. She slowly pulled her leg down and limped over to where he stood none the less. If she didn't have to she wasn't going to do it herself. Even after the war - or maybe especially after it. "Sit."

She did as she was told and sat on the edge of the pool right before him. He put down his wand and began to lightly get the material out of her wound.

"You'll live" he said as he pulled down her sock and took a closer look at her knee. "Do you want me to heal it as well?" he asked gently and she just nodded her head. His fingers were really long and elegant. Hermione just sat there watching as his wand moved over her leg. He was quick and sure. She knew he probably learnt these things while living under the same roof as Voldemort. "Not to offend you but you're way too trusting, Granger." He finished her leg and wetted his hand to wash the dried blood of her knee. "What if I had done something?"

"I was hoping you wouldn't and besides my wand was right here." She showed him her right hand which indeed had her wand. "Or I could always just punch you."

He smirked up at her at the memory and she felt kind of the same. He was an awful kid and punching him was just so right then but at the same time it seemed funny now.

"Well that was a first" he said rolling his eyes and she did smirk this time. "Also I remember you making quite a beaver" he rolled his wand between his fingers but he was only just kidding.

"I can only imagine how many followed after me. Trillions I guess." She said ignoring his comment about her teeth.

"Sixth year wasn't my finest. I admit, my tact was lost for a little while."

"That year was awful" she nodded and then looked down at her socks. They were in need of a stitching charm themselves.

"Yet what should have been our seventh could compete" he sighed as he finished getting the blood and dirt off her now healed knee. It was even more unexpected then him offering to heal her. She watched with a mesmerised stare as his hand moved.

"I'm just glad this whole thing is over." She couldn't keep the stiff tone off her voice. The war was a sour point and will be for a very long time.

"Will you believe me if I say that me too?" She looked up at him and took in the defeated state of his shoulders. It started to creep her out how easily they could talk. Like they had been doing it for a while not for the first time ever.

"Honestly? I'd be surprised if you weren't thinking that." As an afterthought she petted his arm which caught his attention. "Look, Malfoy, I think you got it just as bad as we did. If it means something I don't think people should hold your actions during the war against you" she whispered and he openly stared at her, disbelief clear on his face. "I've given it some thoughts and considering your upbringing and everything if I were you I might have done the same."

It was huge and serious but she felt like she needed to say something to him. It wasn't out of pity - entirely at least. Maybe the bullying wasn't so bad to interfere but still.

"I wanted to apologize to you for a while but I just… couldn't bring myself. I mean how do you apologize for watching someone being tortured? It's not… enough." He whispered just as quietly as she did before. Hermione took a deep breath and adjusted her socks back over her now healed knees. She really didn't want to remember that day.

"I don't need you to say sorry for it, Malfoy. It wasn't you and if you tried something we both know you'd have ended up dead faster than me" she said pulling down her skirt before turning to kneel in front of him. She knew that was the truth but the fact that he still wanted to say something kind of warmed her heart. It was enough for now, a relief – knowing that the war did change people. Even Malfoy. It was a start and it made her heart ache a tad bit less for all the people and things she had lost for it. "If you really want to apologize for something than say sorry for all the shit you put me through when we were kids. Hearing you tremble for hexing me in fourth year would mean the world." Hermione smiled at him kindly and then pushed herself up to her feet and after a quick glance at Malfoy she turned to go.

It was one of the strangest things that happened to her in a while. Normally she wasn't inclined to talk to him and it was mutual as far as she could tell. However strange though, she was glad they did. It wasn't exactly a shining thank you card or a wet eyed apology but she took what she got. Perhaps tomorrow she's going to nod at him at breakfast.

Hermione went on her way in a much merrier state then before as she felt like she has gotten a boost of hope from Malfoy's admission. She needed it. After things started to quiet down everything felt out of place and over controlled. Polite smiles and well-kept words to reserve the new found peace. Having a quick argument with Malfoy was the closest to the normal she remembered and it put a smile on her face.


End file.
